I'm Certified—Now What?

Certification is a journey, not a destination! If you are already certified, continue this investment in your business to creates new avenues of access. Certification is the critical first step in the path of strategic marketing, relationship building, and engagement with corporations. These quick tips will help you get started with making the most of your certification and maximizing your chances of winning a corporate contract.

Where are you in your journey?

Register with our corporate partners. Internal supplier management tools are the first place purchasing managers look.

Research our corporate partners. Make sure they actually purchase your product or service.

Identify how you fit in with a corporate partner.

Bring value to the corporate partner. Offer a quality product at a competitive price.

Getting Re-Certified

The NGLCC mandates certified LGBT Business Enterprises must recertify the business every year. The Supplier Diversity Initiative team advises a business to complete the following process at least two months prior to the expiration date in order to ensure the required files are received and processed in time for a National Certification Committee meeting.

Please complete the Recertification Application through your certifications tab in your MyNGLCC business profile. It is best practice to keep your business information as up to date as possible.

Proof of NGLCC LGBT affiliate chamber membership: The NGLCC waives the processing fee of the application provided that the applicant include proof of current membership; an e-mail receipt is acceptable.

Recent IRS Tax Forms: Forms required will depend on the legal structure of the business. Applicants may redact proprietary information if desired, so long as there remains ample evidence that the company is still financially & majority controlled by the LGBT owner.

Site Visit: every fourth year, a business must host a customary and routine site visit.

If the fundamental business structure of the company has changed, applicants are advised to submit documentation to reflect the change, in order to maintain that the business is still majority owned, operated, controlled, governed, and managed by LGBT individuals.

For more information about recertification, please contact your NGLCC Regional Representative for clarification at 202-234-9181 or email at [email protected].